Patel is running for the seat being vacated prematurely by Commissioner Sandy Murman next year. Murman intends to leave the seat she won re-election to in 2016 so she can run in the countywide District 7 in 2018. Since Murman’s decision is not official yet, the Hillsborough Supervisor of Elections office lists Patel as running in 2020.

Democrats Yolie Capin and Janet Cruz are running for the seat as well. Capin has already announced her intentions, while Cruz has yet to file papers formally.

Gaetz was elected to serve in Florida’s 1st Congressional District last November, after serving six years in the Florida House. He is the son of longtime former state lawmaker Don Gaetz.

Mitch Perry has been a reporter with Extensive Enterprises since November of 2014. Previously, he served as five years as the political editor of the alternative newsweekly Creative Loafing. He also was the assistant news director with WMNF 88.5 FM in Tampa from 2000-2009, and currently hosts MidPoint, a weekly talk show, on WMNF on Thursday afternoons. He began his reporting career at KPFA radio in Berkeley. He's a San Francisco native who has now lived in Tampa for 15 years and can be reached at mitch.perry@floridapolitics.com.